Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-11
A BIG EXPLOSION
IN J. C. DENT & co.'s DRUG STORE AT
BRIDGEPORT, OHIO,
Results IN a ConHagrati0n That is QueIlsf Only
After Strenuous Efforts on the Part Of
Bucket Brigads-The Loss

But for the timely and untiring service
of the "bucket brigade Bridgeport would
have suffered most disastrous calamity
yesterday afternoon. As it was, however,
the prompt and efficient service OF the
citizen. firemen saved the most extensive
business block in the city from destruction
by fire. At about ten minutes OF three
o'clock. J. c. Dent and Fred r Cole were
sitting in the front part of j. c. Dent "
Co. IS wholesale and retail drug store, when
terrific explosion took place, filling the
room with smoke and throwing the two
gentlemen into the street. As soon rs the
smoke cleared away enough to allow them
to re-enter the room, an empty varnlsh
barrel was seen to be on fire, from
which the fire rapidly spread to the
elevator, and other articles lying about,
and. in short time, il looked rs II Ogle-
bays block, where the store is situated,
would soon be a mass of ruins. bucket
line was hastily formed to neighboring els
terms and wells. and, in short time, the
fire had been drenched out. 4 telephone
message was sent to Wheeling for assist
ance, aud, in short time, Chief DunnIng
had two reels of hose and the Niagara on
the Ohio side ready for work. Their ser
vices were, however, not needed, and
stream was not turned on the building
The strange part of the affair, however, is,
what caused the explosion? The elevator
is built outside the building, and its car
riage and n small platform in the yard
around it are used for storing barrels Of
oil, varnish turpentine and other similar
material, to save the trouble of going to
| the cellar to fill small orders.
George Gray, a Young man employed IN
! the store, was measuring linseed OIL, from
a barrel on this platform when the OK
ploson occurred, and was severely burned
about the head aud face, but could not
tell what it was that exploded.
Messrs. Dent and Cole say that the only
| thing on fire when they went back into
the store was the empty yarniSh barrel and
that the head was blown to splinters.
! The linSeed oil barrel At which Mr..
Gray was working, was also found to he
bursted after the fire, hut Mr.. Gray says
it did not explode till after the first shock
at least. There had been no fire III the
store for several weeks, and Mr.. Gray
! had no fire about him at the time, he hot
being addicted To the Use of cigars. The
explosion tore the windows out OF
! the writing room in the second story and
singed the mOustaChe and eyebrows of |.
C. Judkins, member of the firm who was
at work on the books ut the time. lie
tried to get the books of the firm out, but
was driven back by the flame and smoke.
The loss on the building will amount to
about $500 and Dent Il Co.'S stock TO
about 81, 900. The building was insured
for s. 900 in the following companies:
Jefferson, s., 900; Fire & Marine, $4,000;
German, s., 900, and Fire Association OF
Philadelphia, $1,000. Dent Il Co. are in
sured for 5000 in the Continental OF
New York, Firemens Columbia, and Day
ton, of Dayton, o., and German, OF Wheel
| inc.